Youkai, Kitsune (3.5e Race)

Kitsune

Personality

Kitsune usually have their own agendas, which usually involve subsistence and honing their latent powers of illusion. Kitsune tend to be calm and cool, but most still have their quirks. Kitsune are not easy to pin down on a single personality, for they are as varied as humans are in their views. There are however several connecting traits among almost all Kitsune, They all believe themselves the better of those younger than them, and as such Kitsune families have a very rigid social structure of matriarchal and/or patriarchal social dominance, and as such they are respectful to their elders and arrogant towards those younger then they are. Kitsune care about the natural world they live in, and are fiercely protective of their lands should threats encroach upon their wilderness.

Physical Description

Kitsune are roughly humanoid, with Fox ears and a number of large fox tails that denote a particular Kitsune's age. A Kitsune is born with a single tail, however a kitsune will grow an additional tail every century it lives until it has a total of nine tails. An older Kitsune will often be more powerful, so it is possible to gauge the age and power of a particular Kitsune by its number of tails. This also makes determining the status of members of a Kitsune family hierarchy a very simple task. Kitsune have thick, soft fur along their tails and ears, and their hair tends to match the color of their fur, which can range to chromatic colors of red and yellow to vibrant golds, silvers and Ruby, to name but a few. Kitsune in their human form stand tall and statuesque, but also have an innate ability to change their form into that of a large fox. In this form, Kitsune are far less distinguishable from other animals, and can tread through the wilderness relatively undisturbed.

Relations

Kitsune are not very social between races, but they still hold some races in better standing with others. Kitsune tend to ignore humans who try to converse with them, while other races usually get a few narcissistic responses. Oni, however, make the Kitsune sick. If there is one thing a Kitsune cannot stand, it's a bumbling brute who acts like he is the greatest thing to happen to the planet. They despise their demonhood, being anathema to the wilderness they protect, and they hate their chaotic nature, always charging through things heedless of the danger. They foil the Kitsune's illusions with sheer uncaring stupidity, and any Kitsune who has fought an Oni knows the fury such a ridiculous notion will invoke. Kitsune are unfriendly towards all other races except Shinigami, who are instruments of the natural order, and hate Oni with a burning passion.

Alignment

Although they live in the wild, Kitsune conform to rigid familial social structures and maintain organized society in their hidden estates. As such they are very often lawful, while being largely disconnected from the happenings of Human lands, and merely interested in the well-being of the wilds and of their own family, they tend to have a neutral viewpoint on good and evil. Kitsune are structured in their hidden society, but dont care much what happens outside the forest.

Lands

Kitsune do not have their own territory. Instead, When a Kitsune family needs a place to live, the eldest of the group, who is also the leader, will find a spacious but hidden part of the wilderness, where she will use her considerable illusion powers to hide the area even further. The kitsune will then build an elegant estate to live in. Kitsune estates are almost impossible to find by non-magical means, and stumbling upon one could be disastrous to most travelers.

Religion

Kitsune know and follow the ways of Animism.

Language

Kitsune are fluent in Common, but their primary language is Sylvan, which they use to converse with the woods and each other.

Names

Kitsune do not name their children at birth, referring to them as Pups, but allow them to grow into maturity and develop their own name based off of their personality and behavior. It is not uncommon for a Kitsune to never be formally named, but instead be called an adjective, such as Cautious or Silly, and over time the descriptor will evolve into the name. Regardless of their personal names, Kitsune always carry with them their Surname, which becomes much more important in Kitsune society. Kitsune from other families can often identify how an individual was raised by his Surname if they are familiar with that family, and since Surnames often denote where a familiy is from, it is often easy for Kitsune to find one another while remaining largely secluded from civilized lands.

Example First names: Akarui, Abunai, Amai, Ijiwaru, Isogashii, Iya, Usui, Utsukushii, Urusai, Ureshii, Okashii, Ogosoka, Osoi, Atonashii.

Example Surnames: Hamasaki, Hashimoto, Hayashi, Inoue, Kawaguchi, Kobayashi, Koizumi, Kurosawa, Maki, Matsushita, Miyamoto, Mori, Suzuki, Takahashi, Takenaka, Yamauchi.

Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution: Kitsune are lithe and limber, but are not very heavily built.
• Magical Beast (Shapechanger): Kitsune are magical fox-folk that can change into great foxes to avoid detection.
• Medium: Kitsune gain no bonuses or penalties for their size.
• Kitsune base land speed is 30 feet: This speed changes when in Fox form.
• Alternate Form: as a full round action, a Kitsune can change between her humanoid form and her Fox form at will. When in Fox form, the Kitsune retains her class bonuses such as Attack bonuses and saves, but cannot cast spells, except Illusion spells. When a Kitsune changes into her Fox form, her equipment melds into the new form and is useless until the change is reversed. A Kitsune in Fox form cannot use items that a Wolf could not use, and gains +2 Natural Armour as well as a base land speed of 40 feet and a +4 racial bonus on all Hide checks. A Kitsune that is slain in Fox form remains in her current form, and a True Seeing spell cast upon the kitsune shows her in both her forms simultaneously.
• Masters of Illusion: Kitsune confer a +1 bonus to determine save DC of Illusion spells that they cast.
• Natural Arcanists: Kitsune do not need spellbooks to practice illusions. A Kitsune can prepare and cast any Arcane Illusion spell that she has cast at least once before without the need of a spellbook, provided she is of high enough caster level.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Any.
• Favored Class: Wizard.

Vital Statistics

Table: Kitsune Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
80 years	+1d10	+2d8	+6d6

Table: Kitsune Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
200 years	400 years	800 years	+20D10 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Kitsune Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	5' 2"	+3d8	130 lb.	× (2d3) lb.
Female	5' 0"	+3d8	100 lb.	× (2d3) lb.

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